Young Australian of the Year, Awer Mabil, is shifting from leading off the field to setting standards on it, aiming to secure his place in Socceroos coach Graham Arnold’s World Cup qualifying plans
Having been sidelined for four months earlier this year with a quad injury, Mabil has found some much-needed form with his Swiss club Grasshoppers.
It’s a resurgence that has led to the 28-year-old winger – who conceded he was ‘doubting himself’ during his time in Spain’s La Liga with Cadiz – being recalled to the Socceroos squad for Thursday’s clash against Bahrain on the Gold Coast and next Tuesday’s battle with Indonesia in Jakarta.
Mabil’s most recent appearance for Australia was 11 months ago in a 1-0 loss to England at Wembley.
Since then, the Socceroos have played 13 matches, with Mabil – who also received limited minutes at the 2022 World Cup – saying he had ‘missed it a lot’.
Awer Mabil has been recalled to the Socceroos and wants to make a big impression
The 2023 Young Australian of the Year wants to play a leadership role for Australian boss Graham Arnold
‘But I’ve been following the boys, and it makes me happy to see what they have been doing also,’ he said.
‘It’s been a learning couple years. I will not look at the last couple years as something that I will change but more like something that I use as a motivation to continue to enjoy the process, the hard and the good times.
‘I’m going to do what I can do to help the team. That’s what I’m focused on.’
Mabil admitted he had sometimes been his own worst enemy in terms of his fitness and welfare.
‘I’m more appreciative of my health and just not taking things for granted,’ he said.
‘That’s the biggest lesson. I’m just present. I am more present now than I was before.’
And that’s also being ‘present’ for others.
Mabil’s generosity and caring nature is no secret, with his Young Australian of the Year award having come on the back of co-founding Barefoot to Boots, a not-for-profit organisation that helps refugees with health, education, policies and gender equality.
Mabil has been highly impressive off the field, now he wants to live up to his potential on the pitch as well
Mabil wants to work with wunderkind Nestory Irankunda as the Socceroos try to qualify for the next FIFA World Cup
His guidance also spreads to his Socceroos teammates, including ‘little brother’ and another former Adelaide United winger, Nestory Irankunda, the 18-year-old former A-League prodigy who recently embarked on a career with German giants Bayern Munich.
As well as being together in the current Socceroos camp, the pair also crossed paths last month when Grasshoppers travelled to Germany to meet Bayern in a pre-season match.
‘To watch his growth in the last year has been amazing, but we also have to continue to let him grow,’ Mabil said of the teenage sensation.
‘He will make mistakes, but we just have to be there to give him a hand. We just have to allow him to be himself and continue to express his talent.
‘He’s my little brother, so I try to give him the best advice that I can.
‘I said (to Irankunda) ‘look around you, you’ve got everything here. You’re training with some of the best players in the world, so put your head down, just work hard and try to pick their brains. You can learn from every single player. Everybody your age would do anything in the world to be in your shoes’.’